Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.2
2.9
Journals
JCM
Special Issues
Clinical Research in Palliative Care
jcm-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for JCM Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Clinical Research in Palliative Care

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Rehabilitation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 February 2026 | Viewed by 2043

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Cosimo Chelazzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health, Università degli Studi di Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
Interests: palliative care; pain medicine; cancer palliative care; in-hospital palliative care; pediatric palliative care; advanced care planning

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Palliative care (PC) is becoming increasingly important due to the ageing population, evolving social structures and the rising prevalence of chronic and life-limiting diseases. Advances in cancer therapies have extended survivorship, resulting in a growing number of patients living with cancer. However, these survivors often face complex needs across physical, psycho-emotional, socio-financial and spiritual domains, significantly impacting their health-related quality of life (HR-QoL).

Addressing these multifaceted needs necessitates a holistic approach rooted in the Cecily Saunders’ concept of “Total Pain”. Robust evidence is essential to support interventions targeting these domains and to understand their effects on both patients and their families. The prolonged survivorship introduces a dynamic landscape of evolving needs, highlighting the importance of exploring non-physical dimensions such as spiritual care and financial implications of long-term cancer survival.

Advanced care planning is crucial given the prognostic uncertainty in cancer survivorship, which increasingly mirrors chronic conditions such as heart failure. Effective planning can help patients navigate the unpredictable nature of the disease, manage challenges posed by therapies and prepare for end-of-life care. Palliative care plays a pivotal role in these aspects, necessitating focused research.

Evidence-based symptom management remains inadequate due to many common issues. Difficult-to-treat pain, including opioid-resistant, cancer-related neuropathic pain and pain from bone metastases, poses significant threats to patients' QoL. Research is urgently needed to develop effective treatments for these pain types, enhancing the overall PC strategy.

This Special Issue calls for contributions exploring these critical areas, aiming to advance our understanding and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families.

Dr. Cosimo Chelazzi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cancer palliative care
  • total pain
  • advanced care planning
  • spiritual care
  • financial toxicity
  • cancer-related pain

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

18 pages, 303 KB  
Article
Healthcare Providers’ Perspectives on the Communication Challenges When Discussing Palliative Sedation: A Qualitative Study Across Eight European Countries
by Éva Pozsgai, Csilla Busa, Holger Brunsch, Michael Van der Elst, Sheila Payne, Nancy Preston, Ian Koper, Jeroen Hasselaar, Rocio Roji, Claudio Adile, Daniela Mosoiu, Camelia Ancuta and Ágnes Csikós
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(18), 6653; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14186653 - 21 Sep 2025
Viewed by 588
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Studies have shown that healthcare providers struggle to discuss difficult end-of-life issues, including palliative sedation (PS), with patients and relatives. This qualitative study aimed to evaluate communication challenges related to PS among healthcare providers in eight European countries. Methods: In each country, [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Studies have shown that healthcare providers struggle to discuss difficult end-of-life issues, including palliative sedation (PS), with patients and relatives. This qualitative study aimed to evaluate communication challenges related to PS among healthcare providers in eight European countries. Methods: In each country, two clinical settings providing palliative care were selected. Two moral case deliberation (MCD) sessions were conducted, each with 3 to 9 palliative healthcare professionals (HCPs). They discussed patient cases involving PS and refractory symptom management. Sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed, anonymized, and analyzed using a framework analysis. Results: Key issues included core communication values—open, empathetic, and honest dialogue—which were consistent across countries but varied in practice. In The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and the UK, communication prioritized patient autonomy through timely discussions and family dialogue. In Spain and Italy, family-centered communication approaches predominated, while in Romania and Hungary, tendencies for selective disclosure were also evident, along with delegated decision-making and complex family dynamics. Certain challenges reflected professional experience rather than national culture. Nurses mediated across contexts, while terminology surrounding palliative sedation remained a source of ambiguity. Conclusions: This is the first study to present HCPs’ perceptions of communication issues related to PS across Europe. Despite variations between settings, consistently open dialogue among patients, families, and HCPs emerged as the most valued element. These findings highlight the need to better understand how end-of-life communication about PS varies in practice and underscore the importance of considering healthcare providers’ real-world experiences to improve communication with patients and families. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Research in Palliative Care)
12 pages, 1118 KB  
Article
Early Detection of Palliative Care Needs in Critically Ill Patients Using the NECPAL Tool
by Savino Spadaro, Danila Azzolina, Adelaide Vuan, Luigi Colasanto, Cristiana Manzetto, Alessandra Busnardo, Grazia Filieri, Persefoni Fagogeni, Francesco Ganzaroli, Viorel Gamanji, Giovanni Poles, Giorgia Spinazzola, Carlo Alberto Volta, Gaetano Scaramuzzo and Loretta Gulmini
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(17), 6244; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14176244 - 4 Sep 2025
Viewed by 937
Abstract
Background: Palliative care is essential in intensive care, improving symptom control, quality of life, and reducing hospital stays without increasing mortality. However, early identification of patients who could benefit remains a major challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the NECesidades PALiativas (NECPAL) [...] Read more.
Background: Palliative care is essential in intensive care, improving symptom control, quality of life, and reducing hospital stays without increasing mortality. However, early identification of patients who could benefit remains a major challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the NECesidades PALiativas (NECPAL) tool’s effectiveness in identifying ICU patients in Italy with PC needs. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted from March 2024 to February 2025. Adult ICU patients (≥18 years), admitted for at least 24 h and meeting NECPAL eligibility criteria (e.g., cancer, COPD, heart failure, dementia, and frailty), were evaluated using the NECPAL tool. Results: A total of 85 patients were enrolled; 28 (32.9%) were classified as NECPAL-positive and 57 (67.1%) as NECPAL-negative. NECPAL-positive patients had a significantly higher ICU mortality rate (32.1%) compared to NECPAL-negative patients (1.8%) (p < 0.001). The median ICU length of stay was slightly longer for NECPAL-positive patients [11.0 days (IQR: 8.0–16.2)] versus NECPAL-negative patients [10.0 days (IQR: 5.0–14.0)], though not statistically significant. Multivariable Firth penalized logistic regression confirmed NECPAL positivity as an independent predictor of ICU mortality (OR 19.55; 95% CI: 3.06–124.93; p < 0.001). Conclusions: In this study, NECPAL identified about one-third of ICU patients as having palliative care needs, who also showed a higher mortality risk. Integration with ICU severity scores may improve early recognition of these needs, warranting validation in larger multicenter studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Research in Palliative Care)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop